An insulant, in the simple form thereof, is a material characterized by the high thermal resistance thereof, forming a barrier to prevent heat output from and input into a closed system. This effect is achieved utilizing porous or fibrous materials capable of immobilizing the dry air and confining it in small cells. One of the best insulants is a vacuum however, due to the difficulty of maintaining a vacuum, air or the aforementioned materials are used.
Insulants have been widely developed over thousands of years for diverse applications. One of the first needs which human beings sought to satisfy, commencing from learning to modify the environment thereof, was that of shelter, vouchsafing them protection from the inclemency of the weather. The first hideouts were caves, however as human beings learned to make better use of tools and natural elements, these evolved into houses built with a diversity of materials, providing unique characteristics according to the constructive material.
In recent years the development of insulants has become generalized, seeking not solely to insulate buildings thermally, but also acoustically, by virtue of the fact that human activities today generate a considerable quantity of noise in external environments. Furthermore, in recent years insulants have acquired great importance by virtue of the fact that people seek to save electrical energy, utilized to supply a heater or an air conditioner, apparatuses which make very great use of electricity.
The patent application WO2005078211A1 comprises a plurality of panels installed on a subjacent surface. Each of the panels comprises a base having a web having an upper portion, a supporting layer positioned adjacent to the upper part of the web, and a plurality of water retention compartments formed in the web. Nevertheless, having said compartments increases the total weight of each of the units of the panels by virtue of the fact that the water is contained both in the growth medium for the plants and in the water retention compartments. Differing from the system proposed in this patent application, these disadvantages do not arise due to the layout thereof.
The patent application WO2009132439 comprises a tray containing a growth medium and vegetation, a permeable membrane and drainage board. Said tray is mounted upon the permeable membrane, the latter being upon the drainage board. Said configuration permits that the water received by the tray may pass through the membrane to the drainage board, without allowing the passage of the growth medium, however it does not ensure that the growth medium will not filter into the space which may exist between the tray and the permeable membrane. Differing from the system proposed in this patent application, these advantages do not occur, due to the layout thereof.
The patent application WO20071199866 provides an impermeable structure having a double guide floor, installed on a roof, such that the water is naturally guided and drained to a drainage orifice. A further object of the invention is to permit that the water be drained between the spaces of the panels, instead of from the space therebeneath. Additionally, an object of the invention is to provide at least one layer of insulated air beneath the double roof structure, using the air as insulant of the building. Said system presents a series of difficulties, the first being the reduced quantity of water which the system can retain, increasing the expense which must be incurred in maintenance if it is desired that it be used as a green roof. Furthermore, if a large volume of insulated air is desired to be had, the drainage areas must be reduced, or vice versa if it is desired to drain more water. Differing from the system proposed in this patent application, these disadvantages do not occur, due to the layout thereof.